Friday, August 30, 2013

things i plan to do over labor day weekend

In no particular order:

-Read books
-Lesson plans for next week. (Unfortunately, this will take a decent chunk of time.)
-Make up my lunches for the ENTIRE following week
-Sleep in every day until at least 8:00.
-Eat lunch at a normal time (because 10:45 is STILL breakfast time...but that's when I'm forced to choke down lunch each day. Then I binge at 6:00 for dinner because I'm freaking starving.)
-Go shopping!!!!
-Relax and celebrate the fact that I don't have to work on Monday.

For the record...none of these things involve my husband because he's playing in a softball tournament during the days. But when he's home I plan to make him spend some time with me :)

Happy Labor Day friends...let's all be thankful that we HAVE work...but thankful for the day of NO work!

xoxo, wife.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

they worked...i got in the way...

My mom has a booth where she sells furniture that she has refurbished. It's really cool and I really like the stuff she makes. She's been doing such a good job lately, that she was asked to move to a more prime location. That meant she had to come up with a larger design for the booth. Her and my dad decided to build a pergola in the booth. It was large and in charge so they needed some help. And who do you call when you need some help?

Ty.
And then I tag along and get in the way while everyone works.









Unfortunately by the end of the 4 hour project, I was apparently just so exhausted from handing nails and screws to the worker bees that I was unable to snap a picture of the finished product. But I can tell you it looks good. And it's sturdy. Probably because of the screw and nail hander-outer. Without her, everyone would still be standing there holding pieces of wood together to no avail.

xoxo, wife (screw and nail hander-outer)

Monday, August 26, 2013

and then we were interviewed.




Our church is heading into a campaign to build a brand new church building. It's a stressful but exciting time for our congregation. Ty and I were asked to come in and do an on-camera interview for a video about the campaign, that would educate others about what we're doing, and encourage members to get involved in it. We went in on Saturday for an hour long interview.

I've certainly never done an on-camera interview, but it was almost as awkward (or maybe even more) as a job interview. You know, like when you know what you SHOULD say, you know what you WANT to get across, but it comes out like word vomit.

Fortunately we got to do the interview together, and Ty is really good with words. I found myself talking...but not actually SAYING anything. And when I'd finish my response to the question, the interviewer would just keep looking at me, kind of like, "Ok...." I also had to take my watch off because I was talking with my hands and kept banging my watch on the table which was messing up the nice audio. After the interview, the guy wanted to get some random shots of us having a conversation with each other holding seeds that we referenced in our interview. Mega awkward. Ty and I were basically sitting on top of each other and having a conversation about soybean seeds. It was strange. I think I'm hopeless in the film world.

I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as I assume that it was. And the good thing is, we weren't the only couple that was interviewed, so if I look like a total idiot, then they'll just edit us out of the video. Sorry Ty.

If they end up putting the video up online at some point, I'll link it here for you.
Or maybe not.
It'll depend on how much of a goober I am.

But it was kind of fun. Definitely not something I do every Saturday.
And now I have a reason to prove to my Mom why I never became a news anchor like she wanted me to.

xoxo, wife.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

the first weeks.

I'm not even going to lie a little bit.

The first week of school was ROUGH. Like really, really rough. Rough like I came home crying one night.

This is definitely the lowest class academically that I've gotten at the beginning of the year. The only kids who even know how to write their name are the 5 kids out of 18 who went to preschool. So I've been freaking out a little. I've had to go back and find preschool stuff for us to work on, which is frightening.

Another rough factor is the behavior. Kindergarten behavior is always rough at the beginning of the year, but this is by far the toughest class behaviorally as well that I've ever had at the beginning. There was one time during the first week that we were taking a bathroom break and literally SIX out of the 16 kids that were there were throwing a fit. Like screaming, jumping up and down fits...in the middle of the hallway. I was mortified.

I've been told by the principal that everyone in the office understands that I have the roughest class in the building right now. She also told me I have two of the most challenging students. One of them is incredibly defiant and tells me to "shut up" on a daily basis. He's been violent toward the other students, and has been sent to the office multiple times. The other is a little boy who is almost completely nonverbal, and has never been socialized. He's literally never been around another child. He won't speak, won't eat, and won't use the bathroom, among lots of other issues that I won't get into right now.

Needless to say, it's been a tough two weeks.

But it's SLOWLY getting better. I'm working my butt off to teach them how to function in a school setting. I'm working with them on how to walk in a line, how to use the bathroom correctly, how to act during a lesson, etc. And I'm finding that each day, I have to raise my voice less and less. It's slow going, and has been really discouraging at times, but we ARE making progress.

This past week, I got the first, "I love you, Mrs. Miller," of the year. I've started getting the million hugs a day. I'm beginning to get greeted with smiles instead of tears in the mornings. I've also been able to teach several whole lessons without losing my voice. And my favorite: the funny things they do and say that I get to go home and tell Ty all about are beginning to happen. We're slowly but surely building our little family. The family that will go through a LOT together in the next 10 months. And while it's been incredibly difficult these last two weeks, I'm positive that within a couple more weeks, it'll be smooth sailing. A couple prayers wouldn't hurt though!

xoxo, wife.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

dear class of 2026,


Tomorrow you begin your first day of school. Congratulations, you're officially big kids!

I know that starting school can be a scary thing, but you know what? I'll be with you every step of the way. And I feel so lucky that I get to call you "mine" for the next 190 days.

You're going to learn so much in Kindergarten. You'll constantly surprise yourself with what you know, and you'll run to show me when you find the word "go" in a book, because it's a word I taught you to read. Right now, you don't know anyone else in the room. But I promise you'll make friends...and soon. People you eat lunch with, play outside with, tell stories to, maybe even meet outside of school, and perhaps friends that you'll sit next to at your high school graduation.

You'll grow. You're so tiny right now...but those pants you're wearing? They'll be too short in 10 months. The buttons won't snap, and your toes will be tight in your shoes. By June, you won't look like a baby anymore, but like a big, grown-up kid who's ready for first grade.

And you will be...ready for first grade, that is. My job is to get you there. We'll work hard. We'll share. We'll take turns. We'll say "I'm sorry." We'll try our best. We'll be respectful. We'll smile and laugh. We'll try new things. We'll have fun. We'll use manners. We'll make mistakes. We'll care for others. We'll speak kindly. We'll help clean up. We'll listen and learn. We'll help each other. We'll challenge ourselves. And when it's all said and done, you won't need me anymore. You'll know everything you need to know to go to first grade. And I have no doubt you'll be successful when you get there.

But for now, you're with me. I'm blessed to get to be your first teacher, and I hope I make a positive impact on your life and your education. I hope that I make you excited about school and learning. And I can't wait to see what adventures this year has in store for us.

xoxo, Mrs. Miller

Thursday, August 8, 2013

open house 2013



I got to meet my brand new batch of kiddos tonight! I went from 12 students to 19 students in a matter of 24 hours, and that number is still on the rise. Our enrollment was too low and we were in danger of losing a teacher. So they opened registration for 4 year olds that will turn 5 by the middle of October. I've had my fair share of 4 year olds in the past, so it's not too huge of a deal to me.

It's always interesting to meet the new kids. They're so young, and sooooo little! It's strange to think about how much time we're going to spend together for the next 10 months, and how much they'll grow and change.

First impressions are everything, and I've gotten pretty good at judging how kids are going to be, just by meeting them and their parents during Open House. I have to say, I think I lucked out with a pretty good group of kids. (Knock on wood.) I had about 7 who didn't show up, but the ones who came were pretty sweet. I've already pegged a couple as being "difficult," (like the boy who grabbed a marker and wrote all over the board) but all little kids are difficult to a degree.

I was also impressed by some of the parents I met. In the past, I haven't had much support or involvement from the parents. The ones I met tonight really seem to be with it though, so I'm looking forward to working with them throughout the year.

I've been spending a lot of time preparing for next week, although you can never be fully prepared for the first day of Kindergarten. There are so many unknowns and new experiences. I can't believe that in a few short days we'll be starting another year!

We wrap up Professional Development week tomorrow, my birthday is on Saturday, and Sunday will be spent making finishing any last minute details and doing laundry. The relaxing days of summer are now long gone and the long, chaotic days are upon us. Wish me luck!

xoxo, wife.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

classroom snapshots

I started back to work Monday! We have a full week of Professional Development before the kiddos come back next week. We've had some meetings and training sessions, but we've also had a decent amount of time to work in our classrooms. I'm hoping to post a video tour for you later in the week, but for now, I'll leave you with some lots of snapshots of the progress I've made. Keep in mind, I had to move to a room that is half the size of my previous room, so I had to make the best of the situation.



This is the little reading area right outside my classroom.

My back-to-school door. And yes, I know I need an apostrophe...I lost the one I made. The kids' names are written on the gumballs. As of right now, I only have 12 students on my list. That number will likely rise, but please cross your fingers for me that I don't get tons more! A small group would be ideal for Kindergarten.


Due to the small size of my classroom, my rug wouldn't fit without putting furniture on it, but I still think it made the room look a lot more homey.

My pencil system. I keep sharp pencils in one cup. When a student's pencil breaks or is dull, they put it in the other cup and take a sharp one. It always works out really well for me and my students. They know exactly what to do, and don't have to interrupt class for a new pencil. Then I sharpen all the dull pencils after school for the next day.

My classroom rules. Notice the last one :)

Here's the Word Wall. It looks bare now, but every time we learn a new sight word, I'll add it to the wall under the correct letter. Then students have a reference when they need to know how to spell the words we've learned. We'll end up with 100 words on it!

My student work display. Right now, they are just empty clothespins. Next week, they'll have work hanging from them!



Look who made it to the new room with me! Pete the Cat and Llama Llama! These are always favorite characters from books we read throughout the year. Especially Pete! I always get asked to reread the Pete the Cat books...they're so fun!

Math Center storage. I love these buckets...from the Dollar Tree!

These are from my first year teaching. We're supposed to have the Character Counts pillars that we focus on posted somewhere on our walls...so here they are. I'm not crazy about them, but they'll do.

The one thing I love about my new room is the yellow wall at the front! Last year I had a poop-brown wall, and I hated it. Yellow is my favorite color, and I think it really brightens up the room! I also think these numbers are pretty cute.

My library. The shelf on the right is on its last leg, and I wouldn't be surprised to go into work tomorrow and see the whole thing in a pile on the ground.

One of the first things we learn about in math is 2D shapes.



Well there ya go. Like I said, I plan to do a quick video tour later in the week. Tomorrow is Open House, so I get to meet my new little lovelies and their families! It's always a very interesting event. 

xoxo, wife.

Friday, August 2, 2013

fork in the road.



Every year when school starts, I come to a fork in the road.

I've always chosen the path that gets me the results that I want: I work long days. Then I work long nights. Then I work long weekends. I spend all my time thinking about how to be better and come up with innovative ways to teach something new. I research. I worry about my students and their home lives. I plan. I prepare. I work hard. And I get the results that I want (my students excel) and I smile and tell the world that I love what I do.

But am I genuinely happy with that path? Focusing 100% of my time and energy on work?

This year, I'm determined to take the other path. The path that I've never chosen.

This path is not called The Slacker Path. It doesn't mean that I don't care. It just means that I'm going to take more time for myself. I will still work long days. I'll still plan and prepare. I'll still care for my new group of kids more than they'll ever know.

But I will not let work take up all my time anymore. I'm constantly exhausted.
Mentally. Physically.
I can't continue to run myself ragged every day.

So here are the goals I've set for myself this school year.

--Leave by 5:00 at least 3 days a week. (Unless it's a busy time like the first week of school or report card time.)
--Do 90% of my work at school so that I don't have to do it at home.
--Take time to read for pleasure (not all professional books!) each night.
--Realize that it's ok to go do things on school nights, as long as I get to bed at a decent time.
--Exercise or take Abby for walks after work a few times a week.
--Leave work at work.

That last one's a hard one for me. I spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 190 days with the same 25 students. It's incredibly hard not to dwell on the kid who constantly disrupted class all day...or the parent who yelled at me for flipping their child's card...or the big evaluation I've got coming up that will ultimately effect my pay for the next year. But what good is worrying about it going to do me when I'm at home?

I can still get good results if I choose this path. My students will still know exactly what they're supposed to know by the end of kindergarten. They'll be able to read, write paragraphs, add and subtract. Perhaps they'll get an even better education because I'll be more rested and relaxed mentally.

So that's my decision.
I'm at that fork in the road right now.
And I'm choosing the path I've never chosen.
I'll need help keeping things in perspective. (Ty)

I realize this post seems like a therapy session to myself...and in a way it kind of is.
But it's just one more way for me to hold myself accountable for what I've decided to do.
Here's to a great 2013-2014.

xoxo, wife.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

it had to be documented.

Alert the media...I actually cooked last night.

Since Ty and I have such different eating habits, we typically eat two separate things each night. I told him that I'd cook something, and he mentioned that my meatballs sounded good. I got out my recipe binder yesterday morning, and guess what? Totally lost the recipe. I cook so infrequently that I'm a Follow-The-Recipe-To-a-Tee kinda girl. So I was at an impasse. Do I cancel Meatball Meal and make Something Else or heaven forbid, wing it?

I decided to be adventurous and wing it. I knew all the ingredients I normally use; just not the measurements.

In case you're wondering (not that you'd EVER wanna take cooking advice from me) here are the ingredients you need for my Chicken Parmesan Meatballs:

1 package ground chicken
EVOO
1 egg
bread crumbs
mozzarella cheese
garlic salt
parsley
basil
italian seasoning

Again, I had no instructions for measurements, so I just kinda threw the stuff in there. It looks like a lot more cheese than it really was. It was probably 1/2 cup.

I decided to make the meatballs large. They cooked for about 30 minutes at 350. And they were so moist, you could barely pick them up with a fork before they fell apart.

I decided to make an open-faced meatball sandwich with mine. Ty sauteed some peppers and onions to eat with his.

It was fun to actually cook something for both of us for a change. I really need to get in the habit of doing this more often. Chicken is a safe thing to make that I like and he'll eat as long as I don't add too much fatty crap to it. 

Well this was a boring post. But like I said, it had to be documented.

xoxo, wife.